


T'CHALLA: The Wrong Song

by AuthorA97



Series: 52 Stories in 52 Weeks [26]
Category: Black Panther (2018), JONAS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, JONAS episode but with Black Panther, My friend loves this, Parody, giftfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:27:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21945826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuthorA97/pseuds/AuthorA97
Summary: A oneshot gift for my best friend! It's an episode from JONAS, done up with her favorite Marvel characters. (I'm counting this as part of my '52Str/Wks' prompts, cause the prompt was Nostalgia)
Relationships: Female Tony/T'Challa (mentioned), M'Baku & T'Challa (Marvel), Okoye & T'Challa (Marvel), T'Challa/Original Female Characters, T'Challa/Storm(mentioned)
Series: 52 Stories in 52 Weeks [26]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/914754





	T'CHALLA: The Wrong Song

They opened the borders of Wakanda. T’Challa had been made king young. His father dying in what could truly be named the worst week of his life. A lot had happened. He was made king. He was made Black Panther. He had to help protect the Rogue Avengers. He was moved into a Wakandan university.

Wakanda did have a good college for all walks of life. They encouraged learning, no matter the time for a person. The courses covered a wide array of fields. Sciences, maths, literature from all around the globe, the arts, and more. Just about everything was open for learning at  _ Bashenga Institute for Higher Learning. _

T’Challa had been signed on for a King’s Learning course. It was something started many generations ago. A thirteen year prince old had earned the title for Black Panther yet was unprepared for the burden. His regent- his uncle- was selected until the boy was ready. The course had been a boon to them both- kept around for any in the royal line for the throne.

Though his father had trained T’Challa in many ways for his reign, there was much about running a kingdom that he needed more teachings. Especially considering the opening of their borders.

It was a school above all else. It was also decided to unite people rather than divide by tribes- so uniforms were a thing there. They were a black plaid, with gray/white. There were options for either cargo pants, black/grey pants, or pelt kilts. M’Baku took that kilt option. Okoye ended up dressing in her  _ Dora Milaje _ uniform.

M’Baku signed on for the Institute when he heard T’Challa would attend. He had befriended the young King during the proclaimed Worst Week of His Life. Okoye signed on to watch the King also- though more for protection purposes.

That being said, T’Challa was three months into his time when he met _ her. _

==TTWS==

Okoye and M’Baku were walking around an outdoor hall. Just minding their own business, minding the scenery, keeping a watchful eye over the grounds.

Well Okoye was. M’Baku walked as though he were the type to mutter _ ‘fe fi fo fum’ _ .

Okoye moved her arm to block M’Baku. She had spotted something in the distance. Something that troubled her deeply.

“Do you see what I see?” Okoye questioned.

M’Baku looked up to the sky. “A cloud in the shape of a rabbit! Cute.”

“No. Lower.” Okoye instructed.

M’Baku moved his gaze down to his feet. “A rabbit in the shape of a cloud, even cuter.”

“Higher!” Okoye instructed again.

M’Baku followed the instructions properly this time. He spotted something across the way, of a familiar face sitting on a bench. “T’Challa with a goofy smile on his face.” 

A beat.

“T’Challa with a goofy smile on his face?!” M’Baku yelped.

The two moved a closer space. Close enough to have a better view of what was happening there to make the young King smile so, while also not being overheard by him.

“Now that’s something you don’t see everyday.” Okoye hummed.

Meanwhile on said bench, T’Challa was engaging in conversation with a rather pretty dark skinned girl.

“Are you kidding? I love golf.” Jackie cheered. “My dad taught me. So you’re into it too?”

“It’s my favorite sport. You know, not a lot of people appreciate golf. What’s your favorite part of the game?” T’Challa asked, keeping his tone nonchalant.

“Hitting the ball through the clown’s mouth, and watching it come out his pants.” T’Challa blinked at her- feeling bereft. Jackie gave him a mischievous smile. “I’m kidding!”

T’Challa was most certainly not giving this girl heart shaped eyes. The girl who truly so beautiful there wasn’t a color paint in the world to get her dark brown eyes right, nor her panther black hair done back in a multitude of dreadlocks. “Good. That’s good. See you in lecture.” T’Challa rose up from the bench.

Jackie rose too. With a happy wave, she went her own way to her next seminar.

If T’Challa had a pep in his step, walking to where his locker was stationed, none commented.

Well none besides the two that were obvious.

As T’Challa opened up his locker, Okoye and M’Baku moved to stand beside.

“Hey guys.” T’Challa greeted plainly.

“So what’s her name?” Okoye prompted. Her usual no-nonsense way of talking getting straight to the point.

“Whose name?” T’Challa replied innocently.

“The girl you’re crushing on.” Okoye clarified, giving her King a stare to not lie to her.

“Crushing? What are you, eleven? Her name is like...Mackie...or-” T’Challa could do nothing to hide the wistful smile on his face. There should be a class on how to do that by now. “ _ Jackie _ ...or something.”

M’Baku sighed. “Here we go again.” He complained.

“What are you talking about?” T’Challa asked, confused.

“T’Challa, you always fall too hard, too fast. It’s like you meet a girl then boom instant love. Then boom, you’re in a relationship. Then boom, you’re dumped. Then boom, broken heart. And me and M’Baku are there picking up the pieces.” Okoye explained.

M’Baku cupped his hands. He cooed at the tiny shape there. “Oh it’s T’Challa’s broken heart.” He mocked. “Look at it. So many pieces. Like snow.”

“That happened like one time!” T’Challa dismissed.

“Six times!” Okoye and M’Baku corrected, blandly.

“First there was Ororo.” Okoye recalled. “Then Nakia, since she went back to her missions as a War Dog.”

“Was Monica before or after Sofjia?” M’Baku asked Okoye.

T’Challa glared annoyedly at them both.

Okoye hummed, thinking it over. “Before. Remember Iris was the rebound from Sofjia.”

“Ah, yes.” M’Baku hummed. “And less then two weeks ago, you had Antonia-”

“Look, you know what? Don’t worry about it. Because I’m taking things nice and slow.” T’Challa dismissed. He opened his locker. Thanks to the positions of Okoye and M’Baku, neither could see the multitude of pictures he had of Jackie. He had found them in a new Instagram account- opening up to the world had many positives indeed.

He closed the locker with a confidence he had no right to be feeling. He turned tail on his head guard and his somehow best friend.

“There was like, a hundred pictures of her in his locker.” M’Baku stated. “And I bet it was all the same picture too. He had so many of Sofjia in the western  _ ‘Duck face _ ’.”

“That’s what we thought.” Okoye stated. She moved after her king. If he went to a lecture, so did she.

==TTWS==

They were on their bench again. 

Not  _ their _ bench. It was everyone’s bench.

There wasn’t a  _ ‘their’ _ either. Nope.

Taking it slow.

Taking it  _ really slow _ .

T’Challa was gonna prove that it was  _ different  _ this time. He wasn’t  _ rushing _ into things. He wasn’t pouring his heart out to her. Nope. Denied. Rejected. He was stopping that before it could start.

So T’Challa and Jackie met up on their- _ not-their _ usual bench. Jackie was holding a guitar in her hands, and he couldn’t decide what looked lovelier. Like he literally couldn’t. Not if he didn’t want to get over his head.

“How crazy is it that you love golf, and play guitar?” T’Challa asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

“I can’t even believe I’m playing in front of you right now.” Jackie admitted. She looked shyly down at the guitar, some of her dreadlocks falling over her face.

“You sound great.” T’Challa praised.

Jackie glanced away before looking back to T’Challa. The confidence in her eyes was enough to send T’Challa to madness. “Well I have my first real performance this Friday at CBDB’s. Wanna come?”

_ ‘Oh Bast she’s asking me out.’ _

_ ‘Play it cool, T’Challa, play it cool.’ _

_ ‘Don’t freeze.’ _

_ ‘You gotta stay cool or else Okoye and M’Baku won’t let you forget.’ _

_ ‘You froze!’ _

“I’m there.” T’Challa promised.

She smiled, worrying her lip. “Okay. Suddenly I’m nervous.”

“Look, the trick is just look really bored when you’re playing then the audience thinks you know what you’re doing.” T’Challa stood up to his feet. “Let me show you.” He showed off the poses he had used since birth, keeping a cool expression for the peoples and the council. His father had taught him the one for the council, it had paid off when dealing with Shuri’s antics.

“Okay so what’s the trick to recording my first demo?” Jackie questioned, sounding derisive to her own chances at success.

T’Challa wasn’t about to let her feel that doubt. “Do it in our studio.”

She gawked at him. T’Challa had no idea her eyes could go that wide- or that he would love that look too. “Are you serious?”

“Of course.” T’Challa replied. _ ‘No- not not love! Not love yet. I can’t go too fast.’ _ “I mean read what the news says. I’m the serious one.”

“Thank you!” Jackie rushed to him for a hug, and T’Challa was doomed.

How was he doomed? Oh he was not aware yet but two people were watching nearby. They had sealed his fate the minute he had that stupid smile on his face.

“Look at them, all cozy in there.” Okoye mused.

“It would just be so rude of us to butt in.” M’Baku gave the fakest fake pout in the history of Wakanda. He turned to Okoye, dropping the pout for a grin of mischeif. “Oh we definitely gotta do this.”

“Let’s do it.” Okoye nodded.

“Okay.” M’Baku confirmed.

The two walked up to the bench.

T’Challa didn’t even notice them coming.

“My King.” Okoye greeted.

T’Challa jumped away from Jackie, startled. Yep. He was doomed.

“T’Challa? Didn’t see you out here.” M’Baku cheered in a complete bald face lie.

T’Challa narrowed his eyes at the tribe leader. “Oh, really? Because the walls here all glass and we’re the only two people here.”

“This is glass?” Okoye glanced over to the glass window walls this garden space had.

M’Baku ignored the glares from T’Challa. He turned to the woman holding the guitar, watching all of this with a curious curl of her brow. “And you must be Jackie! We’ve heard so much about you.”

Jackie smiled at the comment.

“No they haven’t.” T’Challa denied.

“All King McHappy can talk about is how  _ wonderful  _ you are.” Okoye added.

“No I don’t.” T’Challa denied.

“It’s nonstop.” Okoye went on.

“No it’s not.” T’Challa gave them both hard glares. Okoye gave him a flat stare back. M’Baku just grinned. T’Challa turned to Jackie, who was watching it all with a teasing grin. “I apologize for their juvenile behavior.”

“Hey I can apologize for my own juvenile behavior. Thank you very much.” M’Baku excused, huffing.

In came Shuri. Shuri had joined the university not as a student, well not totally. She was a part-time student in a few select courses. For the most part she was a teacher for an advanced science course for other budding scientists in Wakanda.

“Are these clowns bothering you?” Shuri asked Jackie. She put an assuring hand on Jackie’s shoulder, glaring the way of Okoye and M’Baku.

“Yes.” T’Challa answered.

“No.” Okoye and M’Baku denied.

“Leave the guy alone! He’s hanging with a friend. I think he deserves a little privacy.” Shuri defended.

“Okay.” Okoye stated. She turned on her feet to walk to a more secure location.

“See you at home, King McHappy.” M’Baku waved at T’Challa before walking away. He waved at T’Challa’s furious glare.

“Hey I came up with that.” Okoye scolded M’Baku.

As they walked further away, T’Challa relaxed. He turned to his sister with a grateful smile.

“Thanks, Shuri.” T’Challa praised.

“Yeah it’s not a problem.” Shuri smiled at her brother. T’Challa knew it was too good to be true. Shuri sat herself and Jackie back down on the bench. “Okay so tell me everything. Don’t leave anything out. Nothing is too personal. Start at the very beginning. Where did you two meet?”

Jackie was actually smiling at Shuri’s enthusiasm.

“Shuri!” T’Challa chided.

Shuri smiled as if nothing was wrong. “It was so great meeting you.” Shuri told Jackie.

“You too.” Jackie replied. Shuri left without another word. Jackie smiled at T’Challa in disbelief.

T’Challa’s smile was tight. He was  _ so  _ not okay with what just happened. 

==TTWS==

Okoye stood by M’Baku’s locker. It was beside T’Challa’s, so it was better for her to wait there for a security trade off before T’Challa’s next class. M’Baku was working on something in his locket.

“I’m thinking of a place.” Okoye stated. “20 Questions. Go.”

“Okay...Hmm...is it somewhere famous?” M’Baku asked.

“Yes.” Okoye answered.

“Is it the Olympics?” M’Baku guessed.

“No.” Okoye replied.

“Is it Starbucks?” M’Baku guessed.

Okoye gave him a flat sate. “Bast you’re good.”

M’Baku grinned. He pulled out a smoothie from his locker. “Here we go. One banana smoothie with immunity boost. There you go.”

Okoye accepted the cup. “Thank you.”

“Okay, ready? I got one for you. I’m thinking of something, and it’s an animal.” M’Baku pulled out his own smoothie, walking alongside Okoye. 

“It’s an otter that plays the trumpet.” Okoye stated dryly.

“Wow we know each other so well.” M’Baku hummed. “I don’t know if I like it.”

“Me either.” Okoye halted. She held her arm up to halt M’Baku. “Hey take a look.”

Across the way, back at that same bench, Jackie was sitting. She was plucking chords, minding her own business. She was alone as one could be.

“It’s Jackie but there’s no sign of T’Challa. He really must be taking it slow this time.” Okoye mused to herself.

Then, as if Bast herself had been laughing at Okoye, shouting came from down the hall. It a burst a panic, King T’Challa rushed down the hallway. 

“Excuse me! Coming through!” T’Challa shouted out to the crowd. They parted for him, not wanting to be caught up in the wave of panic. 

Okoye and M’Baku did not part for him. Much the opposite, they stood in his way. T’Challa glared at them, impatient. Okoye knew he had no class to attend just yet, so he was just rushing off to her again. 

“Whoa whoa!” Okoye chided the King.

“Easy!” M’Baku added. He had been happy to be doing this the first few times. But after number 3 it just got sad.

“20 Questions.” Okoye prompted.

“Not now, okay?” T’Challa tried to slip past them.

Sneaking by a Dora Milaje? Bad move. Okoye moved in his past, including a sharp withering glare. “I am thinking of someone.”

“Can I go? Is it a girl?” M’Baku pretended to ask. T’Challa rolled his eyes to the sky, praying to Bast for aid. “Hmm. Is T’Challa moving too fast with this girl? Oh let me guess. Her name rhymes with  _ Slackie.” _

“Yes, yes, and yes.” Okoye answered. She sipped cooly at her smoothie, watching T’Challa 

“You two. Back off, okay?” T’Challa stated firmly. “Just because Jackie plays like an angel, smiles like an angel.” He smiled wistfully, his annoyance falling away into dopey love.

“Mm-Hmm.” M’Baku hummed.

“Makes me feel like I’m in heaven, doesn’t mean I’m moving too fast, alright?” T’Challa told them.

Okoye and M’Baku gave him disbelieving looks. M’Baku had set off a stampede of Rhinos with that look. Okoye’s had once felled a man from thirty feet.

T’Challa, Black Panther, King of Wakanda, stood  _ no chance. _

He dodged the attack. He rushed off to not-their bench. Jackie was there, just relaxing.

At his approach she looked up. She smiled brightly. T’Challa’s chest did not swell up in a wave of adoration, because that would  _ definitely  _ be moving too fast. “Hey, there you are.” She greeted. 

“I wrote you a song.” T’Challa admitted.

Jackie’s eyes widened. “What?”

“I wrote you a song. Can’t wait to play it for you. You want to hear it?” T’Challa asked, speaking fast so he wouldn’t back out from this.

“Are you kidding? Duh!” Jackie sat back on the bench.

T’Challa sat up. He moved his guitar to his front. He glanced at Jackie’s face, using that as a focus for his song.

_ “You, you like driving on a Sunday. You, you like taking off on Monday. You, you’re like a dream, a dream come true. I was just a face you never notice. Now I’m just trying to be honest with myself, with you, with the world.” _ T’Challa sang.

Jackie nodded along with the song. Her dark lips curled in delight. 

T’Challa was at peace in the presence of it.  _ “You might think that I’m a fool for falling over you. So tell me what can I do to prove to you, that it’s not so hard to do? Give love a try, one more time. ‘Cause you know that I’m on your side. Give love a try, one more time. How did it play out like a movie? Now every time you speak it moves me and I can’t get your smile off my mind and your eyes, when I saw ’em for the first time knew that I was gonna love you for a long time. With a love so real, so right.” _

If T’Challa was seeing angel wings on Jackie’s back, that was his business.

_ “Well, you might think that I’m a fool for falling over you. So tell me what can I do to prove to you, that it’s not so hard to do? Give love a try, one more time. ‘Cause you know that I’m on your side. Give love a try, one more time. Yeah, oh-oh-oh.” _ T’Challa finished.

“Wow. That was beautiful.” Jackie praised. “You-you wrote that for me?”

“I hope that’s alright.” T’Challa shrugged off.

“Are you kidding? That’s incredible! I mean, no one’s ever written a song for me before, let alone a rock star.” Jackie praised. T’Challa preened, smiling. “You have a great smile.”

“Shh!” T’Challa hushed. Jackie clapped her lips together. “You’ll ruin my image.”

Jackie smiled. “Can you teach it to me?”

“Well, I mean, it’s pretty simple.” T’Challa began. He lifted his hands to his face. “You just kind of turn up the corners of your mouth-”

“No, no, the song! I want to learn the song.” Jackie laughed.

“Oh, right. The song. Umm.” T’Challa moves his hands back to the guitar. “Starts with a  _ ‘C’ _ .”

Jackie copied the chord.

“ _ A _ . Perfect...” T’Challa complimented her. 

Those angels wings were perfect to frame her  _ beautiful _ face.

==TTWS==

T’Challa smacked his forehead against the screen.

“Are you still trying to find an outfit to wear to your girlfriend’s show tonight?” Okoye teased, walking into his chambers.

“She’s not my girlfriend.” T’Challa dismissed. He lifted his head from the screen. He swiped it to another outfit.

“You are obviously crazy about this girl.” M’Baku noted. He walked in, snacking on a mango fruit. “And I will admit, I am a little bit nervous about whether she likes you too.”

“I’m not nervous.” T’Challa waved off the concern. He moved to his window, looking out it towards the city.

“Oh, really?” Okoye commented.

T’Challa glanced at Okoye. She was looking down at his shoes. Following her eyeline, he saw to his horror that he was wearing a Shuri-Sneaker and one of his normal loafers.

Subtly, he slipped away from the window. He moved behind a chair to hide his feet. “That’s a look Shuri put together.” T’Challa excused. He glanced into the corners of the room. “Don’t tell Shuri please.”

“Boy King, we’re just worried you’re doing the ‘ _ falling too hard and fast _ ’ thing.” M’Baku stated plainly.

“I’m not.” T’Challa dismissed.

“My King, you wrote her a song.” Okoye countered.

T’Challa’s eyes widened. He recovered quickly. “How do you know that?”

Okoye motioned to T’Challa’s room. Papers littered the floor. They were covered in scribbles and scratched out words. “There’s sheet music everywhere!”

M’Baku picked up one such sheet. “‘ _ Jackie’s got me going crazy’. ‘Burning up for a Jackie’ _ .”

Ramonda walked in. Her dreadlocked hair was up in a half bun on her head. She was holding a soaking wet sheet of paper. “Why is there sheet music in the shower?”

T’Challa blanched. Well that was embarrassing. “I’m sorry, Umama. I got a little inspired.”

Ramonda hummed. She raised the wet page up. “ _ ‘SOS Jackie’. When you look me in the eyes, Jackie’ _ .” Ramonda read off. She gave her son a raised eyebrow. “Is someone too much in love again?”

“I’m not in love, okay?” T’Challa denied. “And would everyone please stop saying  _ again _ ? If happened, like, a couple times.”

“Six times total.” Ramonda corrected.

“Okay six times.” T’Challa conceded.

“Indeed.” Ramonda mused. “Well look, I will let you in on a little secret, okay? Your father was the 23rd love of my life.”

“No way.” M’Baku replied.

“Wow.” Okoye commented.

“Yeah. I was walking down the hall of the palace, on my first day in the court, and passed 22 boys before I saw your father.” Ramonda revealed.

T’Challa gave his mother a flat stare. “That’s funny.”

Ramonda smiles. “Sort of. It made Shuri laugh when I told her that.”

“Not really.” T’Challa shook his head.

“Anyway look. My son, I want you to know that I’m here for you if this little heart of yours breaks again.” Ramonda assured him. “Not again. For the first time. Not that it is. If it does. I’m here. For you, okay?”

“Queen Mother, it is okay.” M’Baku assured. He grinned proudly, pointing a thumb to Okoye. “Me and Okoye got it covered.”

“Good.” Ramonda glanced around the room. She could see the papers scattered all over, no doubt covered in other drafts of the song. “T’Challa?”

“Yes Umama?”

“You should clean this up.” Ramonda noted. With that, she turned tail and left.

“T’Challa, My King. How about me and M’Baku come with you to Jackie’s show tonight?” Okoye suggested. “Just for support?”

“No. No, umm, if you guys go, it’ll draw too much attention. I mean, everyone will be looking at Black Panther and not paying attention to Jackie.” T’Challa

“Well then we’ll go low key.” M’Baku

“Real low key, or  _ your _ version of low key?” T’Challa questioned.

The smile M’Baku wore did not put T’Challa at ease.

==TTWS==

At CBDB’s, the group had sat in the back of the club. Better that nobody notice them from the get go. Besides, sitting at the front seemed tacky. The club wasn’t so full that it was packed. Nor was it so underpacked that T’Challa would be noticed in the crowd.

T’Challa had indeed dressed stealthy. He wore a tall black coat, the ends up to cover the sides of his face. Beneath it, was black robes and  _ matching _ shoes. 

Okoye had worn a red dress, a wig, and a  _ lot  _ of gold jewelry. M’Baku was wearing a white three piece suit. Both of them were  _ far  _ too overt for this.

“See, T’Challa? Nobody even knows that Black Panther is in the house.” M’Baku cheered. He toasted a drink to T’Challa before bottoming it down.

“Seriously? How did  _ you  _ get to be the oldest?” T’Challa questioned. Of the two of them, M’Baku was over a year older. This never seemed fair to T’Challa.

“T’Challa, I’m not really this old. This suit makes me look much younger.” M’Baku winked. He adjusted the tie. “I make it look good.”

Okoye grimaced in distaste. She shuffled in her seat.

“What’s your problem?” T’Challa questioned when the chair squeaked on the floor.

“Shuri got me to test out a new dress. It is supposed to have the same sticking qualities of that spider boy’s. It itches like crazy.” Okoye admitted. “I hate this.”

“Well you chose it.” T’Challa countered. Okoye narrowed her eyes at him. T’Challa knew she would never do anything to harm him...but Shuri could, if he did anything that could accidentally break the new dress.

The crowd of the club clapped. T’Challa startled in his seat, turning to the stage. Jackie walked on. She was wearing a long purple dress, which T’Challa thought brought out the curves of her hips and the brown of her eyes.

She gave the crowd an excited smile. “Thank you. I would like to start off this set with my newest song. It’s called  _ ‘Give Love A Try’ _ .” Jackie announced.

T’Challa sat up. Okoye and M’Baku glanced his way.

“Hope you like it.” Jackie began playing her guitar. Familiar chords fell out from it.  _ “You, you’re like driving on a Sunday. You, you’re like-” _

“Isn’t that the song T’Challa wrote?” Okoye inquired.

“T’Challa. Your girlfriend is stealing your song.” M’Baku noted.

“I wrote that song for her and she can do what she wants with it.” T’Challa dismissed. It may hurt slightly, but he was sure it was a misunderstanding. He wrote her a song, and she was taking it. Nothing wrong there. No need for any hurt feelings. “And she’s not my girlfriend, alright?”

“Oh sorry! I completely forgot.” Jackie stopped playing. Her expression was flushed with embarrassment. “I’d like to dedicate this song to the coolest, sweetest, grooviest guy on the planet- a guy whose heart is filled with music.”

T’Challa preened.

“My soulmate- Kit.” Jackie introduced.

A man stood up a few tables ahead of T’Challa. He had white skin, and curling black hair. He waved to the crowd, turning so all could see his  _ ‘I Heart Jackie’  _ shirt.

T’Challa sagged.

“My King. Your girlfriend has a boyfriend.” Okoye pointed out.

“She’s not my girlfriend.” T’Challa corrected. It came out with slight bite, as he tried to hide his hurt heart. “Can we just go, please?” He stood up, making towards the exit.

“Yeah, sure.” M’Baku nodded. He finished off T’Challa’s drink before following.

Okoye rose too. She halted- the sound of something grating following. “I think I put the dress on inside-out.”

“How do you know?” M’Baku asked.

“Just a feeling.” Okoye mused.

M’Baku shrugged, nonchalant. He went off to follow T’Challa.

Okoye rose up. The chair came with her. As she exited, she walked by the table of Kit. “Kit.” She deadpanned, giving the man a flat stare. 

Kit just watched her leave in confusion, before turning back to Jackie to encourage her performance.

Jackie did not notice any of this, so caught up in the song.

==TTWS==

T’Challa was not nursing a broken heart.

His friends and family would not let him hear the end of it.

So he walked over to his and Jackie’s bench. She wasn’t there. Guess there were small miracles from Bast.

As soon as the thought left his head, Jackie walked up to the bench. “Hey. What happened to you last night? I didn’t see you.” Jackie asked.

“I was in the back on the down low and Okoye was wearing her dress inside out. It’s kind of a long story.” T’Challa explained. He didn’t want to say anything more. He knew it would sound idiotic.

“Right. So, what’d you think? Your opinion means a lot to me.” Jackie asked.

_ ‘You mean a lot to me.’ _ The traitorous thought flew past T’Challa’s mind before he could stop it. “Actually I was kind of surprised to hear you sing  _ ‘Give Love A Try’ _ .” T’Challa admitted.

Jackie raised an eyebrow. “Well you- you wrote it for me to sing, right?”

“...Oh.” He understood the issue- the miscommunication that had happened.

“I mean, that is why you wrote it, right?” Jackie pressed, sounding as though she had wrongfooted everything.

“Yeah. Yeah, that’s why I wrote it. I wrote it for you...to sing.” T’Challa repeated her assumption.

Her face fell. “You hated it. I feel awful.” She covered her face with her hand.

“Are you kidding? You were awesome.” T’Challa assured. “And to hear you sing to Kit, who apparently is your boyfriend. That was...magical.”

Jackie lowered her hands. Relief clear on her features. “I’m so relieved. I can’t wait to tell Kit.” She rushed off, having no idea that T’Challa had been left behind to stew in his feelings.

He gathered up his meager belongings, before walking to his locker. As was the norm, Okoye and M’Baku were waiting.

“T’Challa? How’d it go? We couldn’t hear a thing.” Okoye asked.

“There’s nothing to hear. We talked it all out. It was just one big misunderstanding.” T’Challa stated in a flat voice that brokered no argument. “Since Jackie’s already with Pit-”

“Kit.” Okoye corrected.

“Whatever.” T’Challa dismissed. “She and I are just going to be friends.”

“Really?” M’Baku questioned.

“Everything’s cool. I told you I wasn’t taking things too fast.” T’Challa stated in what he hoped wouldn’t be spotted for a lie.

They did not. “Guess we had this one wrong.” Okoye admitted defeat.

“You sure did.” T’Challa nodded his head.

“Looks like our little T’Challa is growing up.” M’Baku reached up to pinch his cheek.

T’Challa dodged it. “He sure is.” He stated, relieved that he’d hidden his pain.

Or he had, cause apparently when Bast blew up his day plans she went all the way.

Jackie walked up to the three of them. She smiled at T’Challa. “T’Challa! I almost forgot. Remember when you said that I could record my demo in your studio?”

T’Challa fought not to look at the others. “Yeah.” No doubt they were giving him smug looks.

“Well, what if I sang ‘ _ Give Love A Try’ _ ?” Jackie asked.

“Uh.” T’Challa blinked. “It’s a great idea. I mean, I wrote it for you, right?”

“Right. You’re awesome.” Jackie went back up the hall. Probably looking for  _ Kit _ .

“ _ You’re awesome _ .” M’Baku repeated, copying Jackie’s tone.

“So  _ totally  _ awesome.” Okoye copied.

T’Challa glared at them before storming away. He had a lecture to escape- I mean, attend.

==TTWS==

It was not often that T’Challa wrote and recorded a song. Wakanda did have its own radio station, where T’Challa occasionally sang a song for the people. If those new songs happened to coincide with various relationships he’s had in the past, then that was happenstance that only his family noticed.

This was one of the first occasions where somebody else was in T’Challa’s recording studio. It wasn’t exactly an exciting prospect.

Okoye and M’Baku were not so enthusiastic about the whole thing.

Cause they had been  _ right _ .

T’Challa has gone too fast.

And now he was having to hide his heartbreak.

They just finished setting up the equipment. Jackie tuned her guitar, then turned to Okoye and M’Baku.

“The King writes amazing songs.” Jackie praised.

“It’s really nothing. I write songs all the time.” T’Challa dismissed.

M’Baku grinned. “It’s true. He can write a song before breakfast.”

“But we never really use them, cause they’re always like ‘ _ my stomach’s growlin’ for love!’ _ ” Okoye explained.

Jackie laughed.

“Okay. Why don’t you get in the booth so we can get a level?” T’Challa just wanted to move on from this. Like, move on forever.

Jackie nodded. She went into the booth with her guitar.

T’Challa narrowed his eyes at them. “Really?”

“Yes?” Okoye asked, deadpan.

T’Challa sat down in front of a sound board.

“Okay. So T’Challa, how do you want to tackle this?” M’Baku asked, suddenly taking this seriously.

“First hit the backing track, then pick up the rhythm guitar, and then hit the lead vocal.” T’Challa explained.

M’Baku did not question it. “Okay.”

So they got started. T'Challa listener to Jackie play. He heard her voice in his ear, playing his song to her. He tried to focus on the song, on the technical parts of recording.

Until he looked back.

T’Challa looked to Jackie. She had angel wings again.

He had to let her go.

She was with  _ somebody else _ .

He couldn’t have her.

No matter how much it hurt otherwise.

He had to.

He had to.

He had-

“Okay.” T’Challa stood up. His friends turned to him, confused. “I can’t do this.”

Before anyone could say anything, he walked out. He went off into another room. This one holding the Black Panther suit.

He did not have long to his thoughts before his friends followed him.

“Boy King. What is going on?” M’Baku asked.

“Nothing.” T’Challa lied.

“Come on. This is us.” Okoye assured him.

“You’re just gonna make fun of me.” T’Challa argued.

“We’re your friends.” M’Baku explained.

“We’re gonna make fun of you no matter what it is.” Okoye reminded him.

T’Challa supposed they had a point. At the least, they would not film him trying out the new Panther suit like Shuri had. The video had shown up on the Wakandan news over that week. There had been a lot of jokes made. 

“I didn’t take it slow with Jackie. I burned rubber and went like a hundred miles an hour.” T’Challa admitted. He sighed, sinking down into a chair. He ran his hand in his hair. “Bast, I thought I was getting better at the whole romance thing.”

“Nope.” Okoye walked up to his side. She knelt by his side, holding his arm in comfort.

“Not at all.” M’Baku stood on his other side, holding his shoulder.

“I made a total idiot of myself. How dumb can I be?” T’Challa realized.

“You’re not dumb. You’re just really intense.” Okoye assured. “Which is sad for you, but lucky for us because we get great songs out of it.”

“True. What do I do now?” T’Challa asked.

“Well. You could hide in your locker for the rest of the year.” M’Baku suggested.

“Or you could go upstairs. Record that demo with Jackie.” Okoye suggested instead. “After you’re done say  _ ‘see you at school, it was nice working with you _ ’.”

He weighed his options. “If I do the locker thing, would you bring me some food?” T’Challa asked.

“Absolutely not.” Okoye anssered.

“Do I look like a waiter?” M’Baku deadpanned.

==TTWS==

T’Challa walked back into his recording studio. He heard Okoye and M’Baku following behind him.

Jackie was outside the booth. She had concern all over her features. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, we were just-” T’Challa braced himself. Time to come clean. The truth would be easier for everyone. “Look, when I said I wrote the song for you, I didn’t mean I  _ wrote it _ for you. I meant I wrote the song... _ for you.” _

“Yeah, I know and it’s really great that you would write me a song it’s just-” Jackie paused.

T’Challa saw the moment she understood.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” T’Challa winced in embarrassment. Was it too late to choose the locker option? “I guess I got a little carried away. In my head. A little bit. I do that sometimes.”

“T’Challa, I feel terrible.” Jackie admitted. She smacked her head with her hand. “I mean, I hope you don’t think that I led you on. I really like you, and when you said you wrote me a song I thought-”

“No, it was all me.” T’Challa assured.

Jackie smiled. And it actually looked fond. T’Challa’s heart yearned forever her. “You kinda fall hard, huh?” She teased.

“Yeah that’s what they tell me...and tell me.” T’Challa glanced over his shoulder to his friends. They winced.

“No wonder you write such good songs.” Jackie complimented. “Hey I’m just gonna get my stuff, and go.” She went to collect her guitar.

Okoye and M’Baku motion for T’Challa to talk to her.

“Wait.” T’Challa called.

Jackie turned around.

“You should at least stay and record the song.” T’Challa offered.

Jackie shook her head. “No. I can’t sing it now that I know the truth about why you wrote it.”

“But won’t  _ Kit _ be disappointed and stuff since you dedicated it to him?” T’Challa asked though it burned him to say  _ that name. _

“I broke up with him.” Jackie admitted.

Behind T’Challa, Okoye and M’Baku snuck each other a high five. They proceeded to gawk at T’Challa, grinning.

T’Challa, meanwhile, was straining himself not to be too excited. His entire life had been training his  _ ‘Kingly face’ _ . “Why?” 

“Well, because he didn’t like the song.” Jackie replied. She took a step closer to T’Challa, smiling wider and brighter with each step. “And anyone who doesn’t like an awesome song like this just doesn’t get me.”

“So you’re saying the song is available?” T’Challa inquired.

“It’s completely unattached.” Jackie answered with a knowingly grin.

T’Challa let just mask slip. Just enough to show her his delight. “I think we have a demo to record.”

==TTWS==

T’Challa and Jackie were singing the song, together in a perfect harmony.

M’Baku and Okoye fist bump, watching with pride. Their boy king had grown up so fast...

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas, BestieWithASlytherin! This is her favorite episode of Jonas, and her favorite Marvel characters. Also Kit Harrington. And I have no money, so here’s a fic!


End file.
